The scene opens on a classroom, where students are awaiting the vice-principal’s call for Grade 12 students to go down to the auditorium. Some students are restless because today they will not be doing anything this morning. Some are simply waiting for the announcement so that they can skip the assembly. They do not really care for any commemorative ceremony that is held at the school.
Geoffrey Bro, do u know wat time is this assembly gonna start? Leslie I don’t man. I’m just waiting for the announcement. Geoffrey Why do we even have these assemblies anyways? Leslie I don’t know because they never have one for all those Jews and stuff who died in the Holocaust. Announcer “Grade 9’s and 11’s, please sit on the main floor. Grade 10’s and 12’s, sit in the balcony.” Geoffrey (Geoffrey stands up) Alright! Wanna go to the internet café? Leslie Tru. I’m down. The two boys leave the classroom. Lights fade out and the door creaks as it closes.
The camera angle pans the hallway and finds Leslie and Geoffrey at the end of the hall, getting their coats from their lockers. They get caught just before they leave the school by the hall monitor, Billy, who escorts them to the auditorium. The principal is presently making a speech, telling students that although this was supposed to be a Black History Month assembly, that it will also accommodate the history of discrimination throughout history. The two boys slouch in their seats in expectation of boredom. They check their BlackBerry Messenger statuses but the surrounding teachers keep catching them doing so and are continuously asked to put them away.
SCENE 2
INT. London, England during WW2 –– mass aerial strikes are regular.
Jews all over Europe have been discriminated against under the rule of Adolf Hitler. There is a family hiding in a factory storage room in the higher part of the building. Fritz This is not a drill. We have to get to safer areas. (Considering the bomb shelter) This way. I’m not quite sure if this is still operational but it will have to do. We have no other choice, Sigmund. Sigmund Okay. You heard him guys. This is the only way that we can survive this horrible situation. The bombing starts. Fritz Rumour has it that the Wehrmacht, lead by Adolf Hitler, are responsible for these aerial strikes. Sigmund Thank you so much Fritz, for going out of your way to secure and protect my family in such demanding situations. Fritz You’re welcome but I think it’s a bit early to thank me. The bombing ceases. After a few seconds, women and children are running and screaming in the streets. Sigmund This is the worst night since Cristal Nachtt. SCENE 3
INT. Rwanda – February 19, 1992
There is presently a genocide taking place lead by local rebel forces that have killed the police and armed forces, to allow the discrimination of Hutus and Tutsis, people belonging to opposing tribes. UN officer, Njacko is speaking with a distraught villager, Xobile!, who has just witnessed a horrific crime committed by rebel groups.
Xobile They took all of the children and told them to stand against the house. They took all of our belongings; our papers, our food. Whoever did not cooperate with these men had their hands cut off, and pushed into the road. Little Boáteng was supposed have his coming of age ceremony this afternoon but now he has bled to death in the street and no one will witness this again for a very long time. Njacko I know. We have been tracking these gangs for weeks to monitor and documents their movement and acts of violence. It won’t be very long before we can legally have these men incarcerated, with the go-ahead from the United Nations. Xobile My family is very worried that they will be back for more killing. We will be helpless. Are you sure there is nothing that you can do to help us? Njacko Well… alright. I can have an MLV sent to your village tomorrow afternoon. When it arrives, you can load your family and anyone else that can be taken. We will do our best to provide safety, medical care and nutrition. Xobile May God bless you with many beautiful wives for the remainder of your life.
SCENE 4
INT. Geoffrey and Leslie are walking back from the auditorium and are talking about the assembly.
Geoffrey That assembly was pretty sick, bro. Leslie Ya, all that stuff about how the Jews were hated and killed because Hitler led the government to believe that Jews were threatening to the rest of the population. Geoffrey And all that mean stuff those whites were doing to those poor black people. Leslie I’ve got a sick idea. Let’s make it known to people in our school that variations of what has happened in the past can occur again, if we refuse to address the problems present in our society. Geoffrey Totally true. Nobody should have to suffer like all those poor Jews, Hutus, Tutsis, and everyone else who had to endure the genocides lead by heartless individuals and diplomats. Leslie And our motto should be “Those who forget the past are bound to repeat it”, like that guy said at the end of the assembly. Geoffrey Wicked idea, Leslie. But who are we going to get to supervise for our club? I mean who would want to come out to some club to speak about the problem of discrimination in society. SCENE 5
INT. A spokesperson from Minority Rights Group International appears, and begins to talk to the audience about her organization’s mandate. Their website and contact information will appear under the image of him/her.
MRGi Spokesperson At Minority Rights Group International, we understand how discrimination based on age, class, gender and disability can have a multiple impact on disadvantaged minorities, and our campaigns target governments and communities to eradicate such attitudes. You can help by visiting us our site at http://www.minorityrights.org. Choose to make a donation or, better yet, join our growing team.
INT. Harbord Collegiate Institute – 9:16 AM
The scene opens on a classroom, where students are awaiting the vice-principal’s call for Grade 12 students to go down to the auditorium. Some students are restless because today they will not be doing anything this morning. Some are simply waiting for the announcement so that they can skip the assembly. They do not really care for any commemorative ceremony that is held at the school.
Geoffrey
Bro, do u know wat time is this assembly gonna start?
Leslie
I don’t man. I’m just waiting for the announcement.
Geoffrey
Why do we even have these assemblies anyways?
Leslie
I don’t know because they never have one for all those Jews and stuff who died in the Holocaust.
Announcer
“Grade 9’s and 11’s, please sit on the main floor. Grade 10’s and 12’s, sit in the balcony.”
Geoffrey
(Geoffrey stands up) Alright! Wanna go to the internet café?
Leslie
Tru. I’m down.
The two boys leave the classroom. Lights fade out and the door creaks as it closes.
The camera angle pans the hallway and finds Leslie and Geoffrey at the end of the hall, getting their coats from their lockers. They get caught just before they leave the school by the hall monitor, Billy, who escorts them to the auditorium. The principal is presently making a speech, telling students that although this was supposed to be a Black History Month assembly, that it will also accommodate the history of discrimination throughout history. The two boys slouch in their seats in expectation of boredom. They check their BlackBerry Messenger statuses but the surrounding teachers keep catching them doing so and are continuously asked to put them away.
SCENE 2
INT. London, England during WW2 –– mass aerial strikes are regular.
Jews all over Europe have been discriminated against under the rule of Adolf Hitler. There is a family hiding in a factory storage room in the higher part of the building.
Fritz
This is not a drill. We have to get to safer areas.
(Considering the bomb shelter)
This way. I’m not quite sure if this is still operational but it will have to do. We have no other choice, Sigmund.
Sigmund
Okay. You heard him guys. This is the only way that we can survive this horrible situation.
The bombing starts.
Fritz
Rumour has it that the Wehrmacht, lead by Adolf Hitler, are responsible for these aerial strikes.
Sigmund
Thank you so much Fritz, for going out of your way to secure and protect my family in such demanding situations.
Fritz
You’re welcome but I think it’s a bit early to thank me.
The bombing ceases. After a few seconds, women and children are running and screaming in the streets.
Sigmund
This is the worst night since Cristal Nachtt.
SCENE 3
INT. Rwanda – February 19, 1992
There is presently a genocide taking place lead by local rebel forces that have killed the police and armed forces, to allow the discrimination of Hutus and Tutsis, people belonging to opposing tribes. UN officer, Njacko is speaking with a distraught villager, Xobile!, who has just witnessed a horrific crime committed by rebel groups.
Xobile
They took all of the children and told them to stand against the house. They took all of our belongings; our papers, our food. Whoever did not cooperate with these men had their hands cut off, and pushed into the road. Little Boáteng was supposed have his coming of age ceremony this afternoon but now he has bled to death in the street and no one will witness this again for a very long time.
Njacko
I know. We have been tracking these gangs for weeks to monitor and documents their movement and acts of violence. It won’t be very long before we can legally have these men incarcerated, with the go-ahead from the United Nations.
Xobile
My family is very worried that they will be back for more killing. We will be helpless. Are you sure there is nothing that you can do to help us?
Njacko
Well… alright. I can have an MLV sent to your village tomorrow afternoon. When it arrives, you can load your family and anyone else that can be taken. We will do our best to provide safety, medical care and nutrition.
Xobile
May God bless you with many beautiful wives for the remainder of your life.
SCENE 4
INT. Geoffrey and Leslie are walking back from the auditorium and are talking about the assembly.
Geoffrey
That assembly was pretty sick, bro.
Leslie
Ya, all that stuff about how the Jews were hated and killed because Hitler led the government to believe that Jews were threatening to the rest of the population.
Geoffrey
And all that mean stuff those whites were doing to those poor black people.
Leslie
I’ve got a sick idea. Let’s make it known to people in our school that variations of what has happened in the past can occur again, if we refuse to address the problems present in our society.
Geoffrey
Totally true. Nobody should have to suffer like all those poor Jews, Hutus, Tutsis, and everyone else who had to endure the genocides lead by heartless individuals and diplomats.
Leslie
And our motto should be “Those who forget the past are bound to repeat it”, like that guy said at the end of the assembly.
Geoffrey
Wicked idea, Leslie. But who are we going to get to supervise for our club? I mean who would want to come out to some club to speak about the problem of discrimination in society.
SCENE 5
INT. A spokesperson from Minority Rights Group International appears, and begins to talk to the audience about her organization’s mandate. Their website and contact information will appear under the image of him/her.
MRGi Spokesperson
At Minority Rights Group International, we understand how discrimination based on age, class, gender and disability can have a multiple impact on disadvantaged minorities, and our campaigns target governments and communities to eradicate such attitudes. You can help by visiting us our site at http://www.minorityrights.org. Choose to make a donation or, better yet, join our growing team.
FADE OUT. END OF SCENE.
Work log